Is intelligence just knowing facts - or is it the ability to think beyond them?

Let us explore the distinction between intelligence and knowledge testing and evaluate when each is most appropriate. 

Intelligence testing is a method of measuring an individual's cognitive abilities, particularly their capacity to reason, judge, and adapt to new situations.In the conceptualised intelligence test by Alfred Binet, he designated assessment exluding reading and writing to avoid measuring educational background. This aimed to isolate innate reasoning skills through common sense. Later, Henry Goddard introduced that intelligence quotient or IQ can be calculated by dividing mental age by chronological age multiplied by 100. He emphasized the distinction between intelligence and knowledge. However, he posed cultural biased and social hierarchies based on mental capacity.

Robert Yerkes on the other hand, institutionalized intelligence testing through development of the Army Alpha and Beta test during the WWI which then reinforced racial and ethnic biases influenced by the policies on immigration. This is commonly applied in psychological evaluations, military screening, or gifted education. 

In contrast, David Shenk, introduced that intelligence is not a static trait, and it can be shaped by environment, effort, and mindset.

Knowledge testing is also defined as assessment of learned information such as facts, vocabulary, procedures and the like. Often it is curriculum-based or domain specific.

Goddard emphasized that knowledge is the material upon which the intelligence works. Knowledge testing is often used in classroom assessments, standardized exams, and professional qualifications. It is appropriate for academic grading, certification, or curriculum mastery. 

Also let us analyze the Army Beta test as an example of assessment of intelligence highlighting its strengths and limitations.

Army Beta Test, by Robert Yerkes in 1917, is a non-verbal intelligence test used to assess the cognitive abilities of illiterate unschooled, or non-English speaking army recruits. This is intended for evaluating recruits who could not take the Army alpha test because they can't read or write which gives opportunities to all recruits regardless of their literacy level. This test is aministered by group using visual and symbolic pictures. However, this assessment resulted to institutionalized biased because the scoring is influenced by culture where southern and eastern Europeans often score lower than northern Europeans. African Americans commonly scored lowest and some are ranked according to their skin tone. The test legitimizes hereditarian views which says that IQ is hereditarian or racial. 

Although the Army Beta test is considered biased in assessment, it became a prototype for many cognitive ability tests. 

Based on the readings and the video on assessment for learning, intelligence can reveal cognitive potential but must be interpreted cautiously while knowledge assessments are more straightforward but can be affected by the instruction received by the person through his/her life. 

Whether we assess one's intelligence or knowledge, it is important that we consider the ethical, inclusive assessment practices so that we acquire an appropriate understanding of how learners learn and how they think.

Readings:

New Learning. (n.d.). Yerkes’ Army Intelligence Tests. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://newlearningonline.com/new-learning/chapter-6/supporting-material/yerkes-army-intelligence-tests

New Learning. (n.d.). Goddard on IQ. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://newlearningonline.com/new-learning/chapter-6/supporting-material/goddard-on-iq

New Learning. (n.d.). Binet’s Intelligence Test. Retrieved October 28, 2025, from https://newlearningonline.com/new-learning/chapter-6/supporting-material/binets-intelligence-test